Catcher mechanism for cloth spreading machine

ABSTRACT

A catcher mechanism having a catcher bar disposed transversely for cooperation with a cloth spreading machine, including a frame having guide means and link means cooperating with the guide means and connected to the catcher bar, first to elevate the catcher bar in a vertical plane from a lower to an upper position, and second to swing the catcher bar upward from the upper position to a locking position.

United States Patent 1191 Martin, Sr. et al.

[ 1 Oct. 30, 1973 CATCHER MECHANISM FOR CLOTH SPREADING MACHINE [75]Inventors: Thomas W. Martin, Sr.; Thomas W. Martin, Jr., both ofNashville, Tenn.

[73] Assignee: Cutters Machine Company, Inc.,

Nashville, Tenn.

[22] Filed: Aug. 7, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 61,939

52 u.s.c1. ..270/30 51 Int. Cl ..B65h 29/46 58 Field of Search..270/30-31;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,497,204 2/1970 Grimm et al270/30 3,067,996 l2/l962 Theodosiou 270/3l 2,795,416 6/1957 Bax 270/3l2,539,722 l/l95l Booth 270/30 Primary ExaminerRobert W. MichellAssistant ExaminerA. Heinz Attorney-Harrington A. Lackey [57] ABSTRACT Acatcher mechanism having a catcher bar disposed transversely forcooperation with a cloth spreading machine, including a frame havingguide means and link means cooperating with the guide means andconnected to the catcher bar, first to elevate the catcher bar in avertical plane from a lower to an upper position, and second to swingthe catcher bar upward from the upper position to a locking position.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 30, 1973 2 Sheets-Shoot l UZZrll/ WWW 55 5 mm Tm B ATTOQ N EY CATCI-IER MECHANISM FOR CLOTH SPREADINGMACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to clothspreading machines, and more particularly to a catcher mechanism for acloth spreading machine.

One desirable feature of a catcher mechanism is to mount the catcher barso that it will travel in a true vertical plane, or in a planeperpendicular to the cutting table, so that it will always rest upon thefolded cloth ends in the same relative position, as the catcher bar iselevated by the increasing thickness of the stack of cloth layers.Several catcher mechanisms have been designed to carry out thisfunction, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,924,450;3,067,996; 3,400,927; and 3,464,689.

Another desirable feature of a catcher mechanism is to mount the catcherbar in such a manner that it may be moved away from the folded ends ofthe cloth layers after the spreading operation has been completed, topermit the cutting operation.

In many prior art catcher mechanism, the entire catcher assembly,including its supporting frame, have to be dis-engaged from the tableand bodily moved away from the cloth layers.

The catcher mechanism disclosed in US. pats. Nos. 2,924,450 and3,464,689 mount the catcher bar upon its supporting frame in such amanner that the catcher bar may be swung upward and away from the foldedcloth ends.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention toprovide a catcher mechanism for a cloth spreading machine which carriesout the dual functions of maintaining the catcher bar in a verticalposition as it is raised and lowered for engaging the folded ends ofcloth layers, and also of swinging the catcher bar away from the foldedends after the spreading and folding operations have been completed, ina different and more simplified manner than in previously known catchermechanisms.

This invention comprises a catcher mechanism incorporating a catcherbar, a frame having guideways, a guide member cooperating with theguideways and connected to the catcher bar, and pivotal link meansconnecting the catcher bar to the frame. The arrangement of theguideways, guide member and pivotal link means is such that as thecatcher bar is elevated from a lower position to an upper position, theguide member travels in a vertical guideway to maintain the catcher barin a true vertical plane. Continued elevation of the catcher bar causesthe guide member to travel in a second guideway causing the link meansto swing the catcher bar up above its upper position to a lockingposition. The guide member engages a recess in the second guideway tohold the catcher bar in afi e1- evated locked position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a right-side elevation ofthe catcher mechanism made in accordance with this invention, mountedupon a cutting table, with the catcher bar in its lowermost position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation looking toward the left side of thecatcher mechanism disclosed in FIG. 1, with the catcher bar inanintermediate raised position;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings inmore detail, the catcher mechanism comprises a frame including a rightframe element or plate 11 and a left frame element or plate 12 held inparallel spaced apart relationship by the tubular frame members 13 and14.

The left frame plate 12 is secured to the top of the cutting table 15 bya support plate 17 pivotally connected by hinge pins 18 to the outsidebottom portion 1 of the left frame plate 12. The support plate 17 isheld upon the top of the cutting table 15 by means of a conventionalC-clamp 19 (FIG. 3).

In a similar manner, support plate 20 is pivotally con- 1 nected byhinge pins 21 to the outside bottom portion of the right frame plate 11.An alignment member or plate 22 is mounted upon the support plate 20 forlateral adjustment by means of bolt attachments 23 extending throughlateral slots 24 in the alignment plate 22. The alignment plate 22 isprovided with a straight, longitudinal, downwardly opening slot orgroove 25 adapted to fit over a rail 26 fixed to the right side of aconventional cutting table 15 for carrying the grooved wheels supportingone side of the conventional spreading machine 30. The grooved alignmentmember 22 may be firmly held upon the rail 26 by means of set screws 27.

The advantage of the alignment member 22 is that after it is laterallyset with respect to the right support plate 20, by means of the boltattachments 23, the catcher mechanism 10 may be easily transferred toany other cutting table, and automatically aligned with the clothspreading machine upon that table when the groove 25 is aligned with andseated upon the rail 26.

Fixed upon the outsides of each of the frame plates 11 and 12 are stopmembers 31 and 32, respectively, each of which functions as a stop andswitch actuator when engaged by push-botton type switches upon thespreading machine 30, neither of which are shown, and form no part ofthis invention.

Extending transversely of the cutting table 15 and in front of the frameplates 11 and 12 is a conventional catcher bar 35 depending from acatcher support bar 36. The extremities of the catcher support bar 36are fixed to the forward ends of elongatedright and left straightvertical guideways 41 extending from closed bottom ends to upper endsintersected by forwardly extending upper guideways 42. The bottom edgeof each upper guideway 42 at the forward extremity is cut away to form alocking recess 43, as best disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 4. Each lockingrecess 43 is preferably a circular section adapted to receive eachcorresponding carn roller 40, as disclosed in FIG. 4.

In the intermediate portion of each arm member 37 and 38 is an axiallyextending elongated slot 45 and 46, respectively, adapted to receive forpivotal and axial movement the pivot pins 47 and 48 fixed to the frontends of pivot bars 49 and 50, respectively. The rear endsof the pivotbars 49 and 50 are journaled to the respective side frame plates 11 and12, for pivotal movement only, by journal pins 51 above the upper guideways 42 and spaced rearward of locking recesses 43. The rear ends of thepivot bars 49 and 50 are also supported in spaced apart relationship bymeans of the tubular spacer or supporting member 52.

Also journaled to the opposite ends of the tubular spacer member 39 arethe rear ends of a pair of link bars 55 and 56. The front ends of thelink bars 55 and 56 are in turn journaled by pivot pins 57 to opposedintermediate portions of the pivot bars 49 and 50.

In the operation of the invention, the frame plates 11 and 12 aremounted upon a cutting table at one end of the longitudinal traverse ofthe spreading machine 30. The frames 11 and 12 are transversely moveduntil the groove of the alignment member 22 is adjusted to fit over theside rail 26. When the transverse position of the catcher mechanism 10is properly adjusted, the set screws 26 are tightened. The C-clamp 19 isthen tightened upon the left support plate 17 to secure the left frameplate 12 to the cutting table 15.

FIG. 1 discloses the catcher mechanism 10 in its initial position withthe catcher bar 35 resting upon the top of the cutting table 15. As thespreading machine approaches the catcher mechanism 10, the angular cambars 60 engage their corresponding cam rollers 61 journaled on the outersurfaces of the respective arm members 37 and 38. Continued movement ofthe spreading machine 30 toward the catcher mechanism 10 causes the camarms 60 to lift the cam rollers 61 and thereby the arm members 37 and 38and the catcher bar 35, as disclosed in FIG. 2. As the catcher bar iselevated by the continued lifting movement of the cam bars 60, the guiderollers travel upward in the respective vertical guideways 41 at thesame rate as the catcher bar 35. Because of the linkage between thepivot bars 49 and 50, the link bars 55 and 56 and the arm members 37 and38, the guide rollers 40 will rise the same distances in theirrespective guideways 41 as the catcher bar 35 rises above the table top15. Since the guide rollers 40 are constrained to movement in thevertical guideways 41, and move at the same rate as the catcher bar 35,the catcher bar 35 is always maintained in the same vertical attitudeuntil the guide rollers 40 arrive at the top ends of the verticalguideways 41. The height of each vertical guideway 41 is designed toequal or exceed the depth of the stack of cloth layers to be spread uponthe cutting table 15.

After the cloth has been spread, the catcher bar 35 may be manuallylifted until the guide rollers 40 reach the top ends of their respectiveguideways 41. Continued lifting of the catcher bar 35 will cause thecatcher bar 35 and its arm members 37 and 38 to swing upward about theguide rollers 40 as their respective pivot points or fulcrums.Simultaneously, the link bars 55 and 56 cause the guide rollers 40 totravel forward in the upper guideways 42. When the catcher bar 35 hasbeen lifted to its locking position disclosed in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, guiderollers 40 automatically drop into the locking recesses 43 to lock andhold the arm members 37 and 38 and the catcher bar 35 in the lockingposition.

In its locking position, the catcher bar 35 is elevated out of the wayso that the spread layers of cloth may be freely out upon the cuttingtable 15 without obstruction or interference by the catcher mechanism10.

After the cutting operation, when it is desired to resume the spreadingoperation, the catcher bar 35 or the arm members 37 and 38 may beslightly elevated to raise the cam rollers 40 from their respectivelocking recesses 43, or the rear ends of the arm members 37 and 38 maybe forced rearwardly to roll the guide rollers 40 out oftheir recesses43, causing the guide rollers 40 to reverse their travel along the upperguideways 42 and down the vertical guideways 41, to restore the catcherbar 35 to its original position, as disclosed in FIG. 1, preparatory fora new spreading operation.

This catcher mechanism 10 permits a continuous movement of the catcherbar 35, with a simplified and unified link and guide mechanism, aninitial vertical planar movement for the spreading operation, andcontinued elevation above its upper spreading position to rapidly movethe catcher bar 35 completely away from the cloth, for a subsequentcutting operation.

We claim:

1. A catcher mechanism for a cloth spreading machine comprising:

a. a frame having a front and a rear and adapted to be mounted on acutting table,

b. a catcher bar,

c. an elongated arm memberhaving one end connected to said catcher barin front of said frame,

d. a vertical guideway in said frame having an upper end,

e. an upper guideway in said frame having a rear end opening into theupper end of said vertical guideway, said upper guideway projectingforward from said vertical guideway,

f. a single cam member mounted on the opposite end of said arm memberfrom said one end to travel in said vertical guideway and said upperguideway,

g. link means h. means connecting said link means to said arm member andsaid frame to dispose said catcher bar transversely of a cutting tableupon which said frame is mounted and to constrain said catcher bar tomove in a vertical plane while said cam member travels in said verticalguideway and to move upward in a substantial arc about said cam memberwhile said cam member travels forward in said upper guideway.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said link means comprisesa pivot bar having a front end and a rear end, said connecting meanspivotally connecting said front end to said arm member and pivotallyconnecting said rear end to said frame above said upper guideway.

. 3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said link means furthercomprises a link bar pivotally connected to said pivot bar and to saidarm member.

prising a locking recess in the front end portion of said upper guidewayadapted to receive said cam member in a locking position with saidcatcher bar at the upper extremity of its arc.

1. A catcher mechanism for a cloth spreading machine comprising: a. aframe having a front and a rear and adapted to be mounted on a cuttingtable, b. a catcher bar, c. an elongated arm member having one endconnected to said catcher bar in front of said frame, d. a verticalguideway in said frame having an upper end, e. an upper guideway in saidframe having a rear end opening into the upper end of said verticalguideway, said upper guideway projecting forward from said verticalguideway, f. a single cam member mounted on the opposite end of said armmember from said one end to travel in said vertical guideway and saidupper guideway, g. link means h. means connecting said link means tosaid arm member and said frame to dispose said catcher bar transverselyof a cutting table upon which said frame is mounted and to constrainsaid catcher bar to move in a vertical plane while said cam membertravels in said vertical guideway and to move upward in a substantialarc about said cam member while said cam member travels forward in saidupper guideway.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said linkmeans comprises a pivot bar having a front end and a rear end, saidconnecting means pivotally connecting said front end to said arm memberand pivotally connecting said rear end to said frame above said upperguideway.
 3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said link meansfurther comprises a link bar pivotally connected to said pivot bar andto said arm member.
 4. The invention according to claim 2 in which therear end of said pivot bar is limited to pivotal motion, means mountingthe front end of said pivotal bar on said arm member for movementlongitudinally of said arm member.
 5. The invention according to claim 1further comprising a locking recess in the front end portion of saidupper guideway adapted to receive said cam member in a locking positionwith said catcher bar at the upper extremity of its arc.